[Archived] Official: Paul Lambert Appointed Blackburn Rovers Manager

[philipl]

Very pleased with the Lambert appointment. His track record prior to Villa was superlative.

Villa seen to be a club beset by problems so keeping them in the Premier league two seasons running would probably no mean achievement. Talking of clubs beset by problems, he has walked into a steaming mess at Ewood.

The chairman has been totally sidelined in the managerial changes but has done everything he possibly could to try to install his old mate Moyes. So Lambert is facing an ineffectual opponent sitting in the Chairman's desk.

Club still has its transfer embargo but anyone with half a brain would be able to void it without recourse to player sales. The sudden appearance of sanity evidenced by the managerial changes needs to extend to other positions within the club and getting that embargo removed before the end of next month.

There are 90 points to play for between now and the end of the season and realistically we need at least 50 of them if we are to entertain dreams of the play-offs. We now have the sort of buccaneering and well organised manager who potentially could do this. Rhodes needs to hit at least 30 for us this season while the defence needs to be properly organised. Neither of these exactly look like football rocket science achievements so Lambert using his extensive contacts to bring in appropriate loan or even transfer players could transform the listless unfit under motivated bunch we have seen so far this season into realistic promotion candidates.

Even so, 50/90 is a huge ask in a division where anyone can beat anyone and do so regularly. Busting Preston's Record string of six consecutive clean sheets is an appropriate first challenge but the players and manager should be supported by the sort of passionate noise from the stands which had been silenced by five years of chicken football.

We might not make the play-offs this year but the football at Ewood should become fun again!

[Speedie Dived]

'Good guys' don't defend a manager who slags off the fans. But hey, maybe that's just me!

That's bang out of order. You are being told by people who know Parson he is a good guy, someone who has attended games for many years and some reason feel the need to stir it.

[J*B]

That's bang out of order. You are being told by people who know Parson he is a good guy, someone who has attended games for many years and some reason feel the need to stir it.

We're back to attacking people for having a feeling then? Round and round in circles...

[Speedie Dived]

We're back to attacking people for having a feeling then? Round and round in circles...

Saying someone isn't a good guy has nothing to do with Rovers or general decency.

Everyone is excited about the new appointment, there was no need to bring it up.

[Mike E]

That's bang out of order. You are being told by people who know Parson he is a good guy, someone who has attended games for many years and some reason feel the need to stir it.

I have a lot of respect for Parson, but his defence of Bowyer did grow quite tiresome.

Amarillo hasn't said anything wrong there. The second a manager starts digging the fans without reason, he should go. Parson isn't a bad guy as such, but he should know when to admit Bowyer was being a prat.

[Blue blood]

Thrilled by the appointment.

Being honest at the end I'd have taken a lot of people over Bowyer, of a lesser caliber than Lambert, the change was that needed imo. So getting someone of his quality is a massive step forward for us.

His record is good, although not as brilliant as perhaps people have made out. However I'm fine with that as 1) his record is still good and 2) if he had a better record we would not have been able to attract him - he'd be at a premiership club.

With a third of the season gone I think it's a huge ask for the manager to get promoted. However I'd be disappointed if we didn't finish top half and had not laid the foundations for a promotion push next year. Having said that the league is so uniformly ordinary that a late surge to the playoffs is not beyond the realms of possibility whatsoever.

Exciting times.

[Mattyblue]

Parson is a tremendous Rovers fan (and author), however he painted himself into a corner over Bowyer.

It was strange, as in his first season when he actually did a decent job, I remember his match reports were not particulary complementary, yet as the team went backwards his defence of him got stronger by the week.

Saying he would only ever sack a manager that had you adrift in the bottom 3 and how he ended up in full Monty Python mode as 'we should be greatful, as at least there's no polio outbreak in the town like our relegation season in 1966' and so on was strange.

Of course, history is often important when judging the present day, 'those who ignore history...', yet you have to look at every situation on its merits, something that I think he was struggling to do.

Still, a real shame, as his match reports were fantastic.

[neophox]

Think Shaw could be potted.

When is the press conference today?

[Tallrover]

To post several times on a tread dedicated to lambert (best thing to happen in 5 years) enquiring about shelfie is blatantly a wind up. But if you genuinely don't know why people don't like Shaw I assume you've been under one of Bowyers rocks. Can't find the thing I was actually looking for but:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/henning-berg-case-blackburn-admit-being-out-of-control-and-incompetent-8590707.html

When the clubs own lawyers use words like renegade, out of control, acting with self interest, to describe shaws handling of berg.

Then this was posted on here:

"I thought I would send yourself and the owners a summary of the Judges verdict on our application to remove the admission of liability to pay Henning Berg a salary calculation over 2 1/2 years.

You will recall Derek Shaw and Brabners admitted liability for this sum without informing the owners. This can be evidenced by Derek Shaws conversation with Brabners which is on the file where it states she will not like this but will have to do it and ease it into her.

Our Application on 16th April 2013 was to attempt to remove / withdraw the admission of liability and go to a trial to hear this matter in full.

You will be aware from my previous notes that upon investigating this matter further and going through the witness statement with Derek Shaw that I did have deep reservations about this matter going to full trial as a result of feeling that Derek Shaw would not make a reliable witness as he seemed to be unsure of key events.

In short, the Judge today has dismissed our Application to withdraw the admission. As such, the admission by Derek Shaw and Brabners will stand and a further sum of monies (approximately £50k) will have to be paid to Henning Berg on to of the monies already paid.

The Judge found that:

1) He did not believe the evidence as submitted by Derek Shaw;

2) Derek Shaw had not told Henning Berg or his advisors that he did not have the authority to enter into that contract;

3) Derek Shaw removed the 12 month notification period from the contract and it was, he found, acceptable for Henning Berg and his advisors to rely upon Derek Shaws authority to bind the owners;

4) There was contradictory evidence before him (letters regarding the investigation viz a viz notification on the Clubs official website that their was no investigation);

5) The Club had neither suspended nor terminated Derek Shaws contract therefore: -

he did not believe the admission should be withdrawn and Judgment should be entered against the Club.

The situation the Club faces itself in is, in my opinion, wholly unfair and results from the removal of the twelve month notification period and the initial admission of liability. This factor is even more frustrating when you consider the point at calculation of the monies owed to Henning Berg under the contract is higher than the amount of money he would have earned if he had remained at the Club for the full duration. We must not forget that payment ought to have been made within a ridiculously short length of time of 28 days. This again is a mistake that had been made either by the MD or by Brabners Chaffe Street when drafting the contract.

Next Step

In my opinion the Club now have to consider the following:

1. The position of the MD;

2. Whether there are any legal grounds to pursue a claim for damages against Brabners; and

3. Protection for the owners at Boardroom level.

I am happy to advise briefly (and in more detail if requested) as follows:

a) The actions by the MD, either deliberately or by mistake which may constitute gross misconduct and as such suspension / termination are available by way of remedy to the Club immediately. In addition, contractually the Club has the right to pursue such damages against the MD. The owners must consider this matter.

Potentially, as a result of the advice that has been given by Brabners, and in some cases not given, could lead to a potential action against Brabners for damages. We should consider this in detail; and

c) Currently the owners do not appear to have any one of their representatives on the Board and as such, I am concerned that the owners are not protected at Boardroom level. Consideration should be given to (perhaps yourself) being appointed to the Board and therefore being in a position to carry out the owners wishes. In addition, the position of the MD could also be reviewed (please see my earlier point).

I have to say that for this situation to arise at MD level of a Plc is quite extraordinary and in my view in football is unprecedented.

I would strongly urge for an urgent review of the structure and corporate governance of the Club in order to avoid a repeat or confrontation between the Board and the owners, both of which would be highly damaging to the Club.

Undoubtedly the Club has received over the last few days some bad publicity as a result of the Henning Berg situation and may do so in tomorrows press. I would therefore expect that the fans and the press will expect the owners to act decisively on this matter.

I wish to reassure both yourselves and the owners from a legal point of view that everything that could be done was done.

In addition, the Club will also be liable for not only its own legal costs but those of the advisors to Henning Berg.

Should you wish to speak with me to discuss please do not hesitate to contact me on my mobile

Kind regards

Yours sincerely

Chris Farnell

Partner

IPS Law LLP

(dictated not read)

David House

10-12 Cecil Road

Hale

Cheshire

WA15 9PA

DDT: +44 (0)161 830 4717

Fax: +44 (0)161 830 4711"

Hope that helps.

A slight WUM yes you are right. Though not 'several times', 3 times and the third was unrelated. I do find it annoying this 'obsession'. He could be improving day on day and Lambert is his masterpiece. On the other hand he might not. I will say no more on this topic.

[chor808]

Think Shaw could be potted.

When is the press conference today?

10 am I think.

[Gav]

Parson should be allowed to hold an opinion without being ridiculed by the majority on here.

Don't want to get into a row over it, fell into that trap yesterday, but rest assured, Parson will be 110% behind Paul Lambert and as per usual will not miss a game home or away to show his support.

[G Somerset Rover]

Absolutely thrilled with the appointment of Lambert. He may not have been everyone's first choice (although pretty close judging by the poll) but I'd be surprised if he had not been in the top two-three of every Rovers fan to replace Bowyer. The appointment of Irvine as assistant I'm almost equally impressed by too; the guy is a real football man and a huge improvement on his predecessor.

While there is absolutely no guarantee of success (see Mackay at Wigan / Lennon at Bolton) the owners have finally given us every chance. It's also a name which as I say above, looks like uniting the fanbase after five years. Five bloody years.

Onwards and upwards, hopefully starting with 3 points on Saturday.

[oldjamfan1]

The chairman has been totally sidelined in the managerial changes but has done everything he possibly could to try to install his old mate Moyes. So Lambert is facing an ineffectual opponent sitting in the Chairman's desk.

Do you have a single shred of evidence for this? I'm certainly no defender of Shaw but my understanding is that Moyes was a. not remotely interested in the Rovers position, and b. never approached about it.

There is enough real evidence to allow us to form a judgement on Shaw without jumping to massive and unfounded conclusions. Nor is it the thread for it (though I appreciate you weren't the poster that initially raised the issue in the Lambert thread).

[sharpysharps]

Lambert is a great appointment on the face of it, he was the most suitable candidate of those talked about and the experience he is bringing with his back room team is something I don't think we have seen for a long while.

This is a very uncharacteristic move by Venkys in the sense that they have brought exactly the type of manager we need at this point in time. Hopefully this is the start of a surge in form that moves Rovers up the table in a similar fashion to Derby when they binned off Nigel Clough, except of course minus the missing out on promotion bit.

I'm not expecting promotion this season, but a top half finish would be a good platform to build on, and if we are out of the embargo by next summer then I'd like to think we can go for it....finally actually just go for it and be a real consistent threat in this league rather than the plodding along that we've been doing recently.

There are no guarantees of success in football but I think it's safe to say that Rovers appear to have a stronger backbone in their management team for the first time since Big Sam. Especially pleased with Alan Irvine coming in who has a great reputation as an assistant.

[DE.]

But apart from a few pre season games, he didn't really believe much in those very same youth he brought through the ranks. That to me was a strange one

For me, that's just further proof that the step up was a bridge too far for Gary. In the youth/reserve teams he was used to being handed players, and if he did need to call somebody up or make an unusual selection or tactical arrangement, it wasn't the end of the world if it didn't come off. He was more interested in the performance of the players than the end result of the match.

I think he was so overwhelmed by the need to avoid losing as first team manager that he avoided taking any risks, including calling up the younger players to give them a chance. When it went wrong he reverted to the only thing he knew - sticking up for the performance level and dismissing the results, taking draws as positive results and losses as unimportant as long as the players looked up for it.

I imagine he'll reflect on his time here and come back to management (should he get another first team position) with a different mindset. Sometimes you need to be distanced from something before realising what you were doing wrong.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if he reverted back to back a reserve or youth team coach, though. Perhaps an assistant manager. He doesn't strike me as somebody who particularly enjoys the media aspect of management.

[RoverNev]

So the Lambert appointment seems to have gone down well indeed, great stuff! I feel that they had been in talks with him for several weeks (maybe after the Brighton game), but the positions at QPR and Fulham jolted us appointing him earlier but thank god we have him.

I am excited about his reign. From speaking to Norwich fans, it looks like we have a manager that not only entertains but get results at the same time and boy do we need that. I guess that next stage is to sort out the embargo and from what I hear the owners are looking to put that right without selling players.

May I be so bold as to say that I think I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. Granted, it's a very faint light at the end of a long dark tunnel but nevertheless, it is visible. God, it feels good to play the optimistic card again, I haven't pulled it out of the cupboard since we appointed the Big Man. Preston will be some atmosphere, a bit like the Charlton game when Kean went (no need to dwell on what happened after that!).

[Doug]

I have a lot of respect for Parson, but his defence of Bowyer did grow quite tiresome.

Amarillo hasn't said anything wrong there. The second a manager starts digging the fans without reason, he should go. Parson isn't a bad guy as such, but he should know when to admit Bowyer was being a prat.

He should still be allowed an opinion. His contribution to this site was far greater than most (IMO).

[Howler]

A better appointment than most would have predicted - genuinely amazed we've pulled this one off and some encouragement at last that Venky's can do something right and are willing and able to have a plan in place.

Was going to be back home for Sheff Wed anyway so delighted I'll be there for his first home game and a positive and optimistic crowd at Ewood,

[DE.]

He should still be allowed an opinion. His contribution to this site was far greater than most (IMO).

He was always allowed his opinion. When you hold a contentious view people will always react to that, though, and that has to be allowed as well.

I'm sure Parson will be back at some point, and hopefully he'll be as solidly behind Lambert as he was Bowyer.

[Amo]

He should still be allowed an opinion. His contribution to this site was far greater than most (IMO).

Nobody said he wasn't allowed an opinion. We're just exercising our democratic right to disagree with it.

In his own words, Bowyer was "bang on the money" with that comment about the walk-ons, and he seemed content for us to rot in the lower leagues because things were rough in the 60s. I don't care if he's been to five games or five hundred, he shouldn't be above reproach.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Jack Walker said he was desperate for Brian Kidd to succeed, but he knew why and when to pull the trigger.

Good turn around by the Venkies but it took to long IMV

That post is shrouded in mystery

You are wasted on here!

[sambo]

Not seen this type of unity and optimism since that fateful day on the 28th September when K*an left.

It was a false dawn but was a much welcome victory at the time.

The appointment of Lambert feels much more like a profound change, and I couldn't be happier.

[Tom]

After the hoax press conference picture it looks like they do just use a table in a suite rather than the dedicated press suite these days

https://twitter.com/andybayes/status/666189900140707840

[RoverNev]

Just imagine if Lambert turns the fortunes of Chris Brown around into a formidable championship striker. (I said imagine, not expect!!!)

[Gav]

Not seen this type of unity and optimism since that fateful day on the 28th September when K*an left.

It was a false dawn but was a much welcome victory at the time.

Seem to recall the gate went up by a few thousand when that rat left also, certainly for the first game.